


about time

by atemzug



Category: BTOB
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Exes, Getting Back Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:00:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27651706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atemzug/pseuds/atemzug
Summary: Eunkwang and Minhyuk meet again, and they continue where they left off.
Relationships: Lee Minhyuk/Seo Eunkwang
Comments: 10
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **happiest birthday to the bestest leader, seo eunkwang!!! <3**
> 
> this has been a persisting idea, only reinforced by recent events* (*minhyuk and soobin interactions i've waited for for like a year omg)
> 
> i edited as best as i could but i'm sure there will still be mistakes, so i apologize in advance! 
> 
> please listen to [about time](https://link.tospotify.com/tk71APmABbb) by btob and wish minkwang a happy birthday!

There's a feeling of accomplishment when Eunkwang sighs after the penultimate student exits his office. Being a homeroom teacher is a rewarding job, but sometimes it gets exhausting. Still, he wouldn't trade it for the world - seeing all the kids happy and having a good time while learning during his music classes means everything to him - even when there's also a feeling of dread that stirs in his stomach as the last of his students finally enters the room.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Seo," Choi Soobin greets with a deep bow.

"Soobin-ah," Eunkwang replies. He doesn't have to force his smile even though he's tired. "Come take a seat. How are you?"

"I'm doing good, Sir," the student answers. He's now sitting directly in front of Eunkwang, fidgeting a little in his seat as he speaks. 

"Soobin-ah…" Eunkwang starts, checking the files in his hands. "You're aware you should start thinking about which track you want to take in the future, right?"

Soobin nods, pursing his lips.

"Also, which programs to take," Eunkwang continues. It's not as if there'd magically be answers if he stares at the _career orientation_ form in his hands long enough, but he still checks it again. It makes him a little sad that Soobin has only written _'I still do not know. I'm sorry.'_ in the space provided for him to write down possible career tracks he's interested in, but it's not the first time Eunkwang's encountered this problem. He's been teaching for more than a decade now, and every once in a while there have been students who'd had no idea what to do after finishing high school, and while he can't say he relates to them, he can't say he doesn't understand them either. "Are you at least eyeing any university?" 

"I have one in mind," Soobin answers. "But I still have to think about it, sorry."

"Okay, okay," Eunkwang replies, offering an encouraging smile. "That's perfectly fine. Do you have hobbies or, you know, anything that really interests you?"

"I like dancing. Sometimes I do it with my friends for fun, but I'm not sure if that's something I should pursue after high school."

Eunkwang's heart nearly drops at how familiar the line sounds. It feels like dejavu, like he himself is back in high school and his friend is confiding in him about his woes about the future. The words he tells Soobin are the exact words he'd once told his friend, too: "Don't you talk to your parents about it?" The sense of dejavu only grows stronger when the student's face visibly drops - the same reaction he'd gotten from his friend back then as well - and Eunkwang feels as though he said the wrong thing again without meaning to. 

"Not really," Soobin replies, curt. It's obvious there's more to it

Eunkwang stifles a sigh. "Well, there's really nothing much I can help you with right now if that's the case."

"I'm sorry, Sir."

"What?" He laughs in an attempt to make the mood lighter. "No, _I'm_ sorry. I should be helping you as much as possible! I can probably offer more help once I get to talk to your parents tomorrow about this, right?" 

"Ah, about that..." Soobin says, looking down with a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry, Mr. Seo, but my mom can't go."

"Oh, that's not a problem. Any of your parents can go."

"But none of my parents can go."

"Are they both too busy?"

"I guess you can say that."

"Hm..." Eunkwang considers it for a moment. He doesn't really know much - or anything at all, really - about his students' parents and families; he was only given the job in the middle of the term to replace the previous music teacher who'd recently resigned, and he was thrown to handle homeroom affairs in the process. He could look more into Soobin's family, but that would take too much effort and frankly, Eunkwang doesn't want to meddle in the child's business unless it's a very serious matter. Besides, what reason would Soobin have to lie about his parents being busy? And what reason would Eunkwang have to doubt one of his nicest, politest, and _cutest_ students? So he decides on the most viable option. "Do you have any adult relatives who can go?" he asks, and he's rewarded with Soobin's instantly brightening expression, a big smile forming on his face-- and it makes something in Eunkwang's chest ache.

 _Soobin really looks so much like him sometimes,_ he thinks, with equal parts sadness and fondness. The first time he saw the kid, his stomach did a backflip, and it was as if he was taken back to a time nearly two decades ago, when things weren't necessarily better nor worse but significantly different for him nonetheless. He nearly stopped functioning that time, but of course he couldn't let personal issues get in the way of his job; he's always been professional like that, even back when he was still in university and in later years when he'd started working as a teacher in a school in his hometown.

Now, he's in a different school, in a different city, and nothing about that has changed and should change. 

"Can my uncle go instead?" Soobin asks, his eyes seemingly shining at the mention of his uncle. "He's my mom's older brother and I live with him, too."

Eunkwang beams at him. "Of course!" he says, "Of course, your uncle can go in her place. I'll start meeting parents tomorrow at 3 PM, so you can tell him to come anytime between then until 5 PM, alright?"

"Yes, Sir." Soobin stands up from his seat and bows goodbye. 

"Make sure to clean the room before going home," Eunkwang reminds him. "And get home safely."

"Thank you, Mr. Seo. I'll be going now."

"Soobin-ah," Eunkwang calls before the student turns away. "There's nothing wrong with not knowing what you wanna do in the future, okay? That's normal - even if all your friends already have big dreams, it's normal that some people don't. You still have an entire year ahead of you, and even after that there's still plenty of time to think about it. Remember that, okay?"

Soobin smiles at him widely, a smile that hides his eyes and makes him look really young like a child despite his towering height. "Thank you, Sir, really," he says. "I'll always keep that in mind."

"Alright, good," Eunkwang replies, mirroring his student's warm expression. "I'll see you tomorrow for homeroom, then." 

"I'll see you, Mr. Seo."

"Don't forget to tell your uncle about your career orientation."

"I won't," Soobin assures him, bowing once again before finally turning round to leave.

Eunkwang watches as Soobin exits the door, thinking that if only the kid wasn't so tall, he would really mistake him for Lee Minhyuk. 

  
  
  
  
  


Sometimes Eunkwang wonders how something can feel both familiar and foreign at the same time. Walking in the streets of Seoul, he thinks so much has changed since he'd last been here some twenty years ago; he's been living here for about a year now, but every once in a while it feels as if he still isn't used to how different things are now. At times, though, it feels like Seoul isn't the one that's changed - this is still the city he knew and loved during his youth when all he only had to worry about was uni, still the same bright lights and busy crowds, the same ground - and instead it's him who's now different. Surely he _is_ different now, considering the many twists and turns in life, but to him and the people who've known him for so long, he's still the same old Eunkwang who wears his heart on his sleeve and doesn't hold back on kindness, with so much love to give the people around him. 

But how can one possibly be the same person they were nearly two decades ago-- no, how can one even be the same person they were a year ago? And how can Eunkwang be the same person he was back then, whose heart only beats for one person and one person alone?

It's rather silly, to think that he's still in love with Minhyuk, even after all these years. Is it because Minhyuk was the first - first to love him in a way that's overwhelming and the first for him to love in an equally overwhelming way? Is it because they have a long history of being together, first as friends and then as lovers? Is it because Minhyuk just disappeared without any explanation, leaving him longing for closure that up until now still keeps him up at night wondering what happened and what went wrong? Maybe it's just that some people are really bound to leave a mark, or a hole, rather, that's unfillable by anything no matter how hard you try. 

Or maybe Eunkwang shouldn't be having these thoughts while grocery shopping and choosing which brand of uncooked pasta to get. It's just that he's so tired today from all the advising he did earlier to his twenty-something students that he's now hallucinating that the man walking past the aisle kind of looks like Minhyuk from the back- which is stupid, because why in the world would Minhyuk be here? But then the man suddenly turns around, as if only remembering something he forgot to get, and Eunkwang thinks he must really be hallucinating at this point. Maybe this is what he gets for always being helpful, he thinks; it’s finally biting him back and maybe he should stop being so invested in his students’ lives since it physically tires him out. Except, that’s just not who he is. He is the same old Eunkwang, who wears his heart on his sleeve and doesn't hold back on kindness. 

He's the same old Eunkwang whose heart still beats for one person and one person alone. That's why it shouldn't come as a surprise that, when he and the man _accidentally_ make eye contact, he can't help it when the name slips out of his mouth: "Lee Minhyuk?"

The man stops dead in his tracks, mouth slightly agape as he stares at Eunkwang. And there's really no mistaking now, because he almost looks exactly the same; the only thing that's different is that his face is a lot less soft than before and his built is broader, but his eyes and nose and lips and ears and everything, really, is the same. Even his voice as he chokes out, "Seo Eunkwang?" sounds the same.

He thinks that it doesn't make sense-- no, it shouldn't make sense that they can even recognize each other, but maybe it's really just that some people are really bound to leave a mark, unerasable and irreplaceable no matter how hard you try. And despite the many, many years apart, he finds that he still feels giddy being in front of Lee Minhyuk. 

"Yah!" he says excitedly, a huge smile plastered on his face. He's aware that they've been estranged for far too long, but somehow it doesn't feel like it when Minhyuk walks over to him with an equally huge smile on his face. "What are you doing here?"

"I live around the area," Minhyuk answers. "What about you?"

Destiny is a really funny thing, isn't it? For him to be met with his past at a time and place he never would've expected, it makes him believe that there are threads connecting people, and that no matter how long and how far, some threads can't be severed. And the easy way they fall into step beside each other, pushing their carts along as they continue shopping _together_ , as well as how natural it is to make conversation and talk about their lives for the past twenty years they were apart like old friends catching up, make Eunkwang wonder again how and where it went wrong. But he's not one to dwell on the past, to hold grudges and keep bitterness inside his heart. Sure, he was extremely sad when Minhyuk had ditched him, but that was years and years ago and Eunkwang has gotten over that fact; it's not like that's something he can change, anyway. He's more concerned about the present, and the present is this: he's talking to Minhyuk again after so long, and his heart still beats so quickly when their arms brush, and it should be impossible to still have lingering feeling for his ex but after all this time he thinks, maybe, he's really still in love.

So when Minhyuk asks him, "Do you wanna have coffee with me tomorrow?" right when they were in line to pay for their stuff, Eunkwang doesn't even need to think twice before nodding his head yes.

"I have work until around 6 PM, though," Eunkwang says. 

"That's fine," Minhyuk tells him, eyes crinkling as he smiles. "I'll wait for you."

"You will?" Eunkwang teases. 

"Yeah, if you'd let me."

"Why wouldn't I?"

But where there's mirth in Eunkwang's tone, Minhyuk's is tinged with sadness when he answers, "You know why."

"Yah." Eunkwang nudges his arm. "The past doesn't bother me anymore, so I hope you won't think about it anymore, either."

It feels good to say it out loud, he thinks, especially saying it to Minhyuk himself. Maybe this is the only closure he needed, after all, just telling Minhyuk that they can - and _should_ \- put the past behind and focus on the present. Maybe all Eunkwang wanted wasn't an explanation as to why Minhyuk suddenly disappeared, but to know that he's alright and nothing bad had happened to him. Maybe Eunkwang is satisfied with being able to talk to Minhyuk again like they're still friends. Maybe he's content being able to stand in front of him without feeling any contempt or regret, only happiness and affection. If Minhyuk wants to explain his side of the story, then Eunkwang would let him; if he doesn't, then Eunkwang wouldn't force him. The only thing that matters to him right now is that Minhyuk is here, and he's safe, and he seems to be doing well. It's enough for Eunkwang's heart to feel at ease and for his mind to be in peace. 

And if the way his cheeks feel impossibly warm in this chilly night when Minhyuk asks for his number right before they part ways outside the mart and tells him, "I'll pick you up tomorrow after work," as if they were young people in their _some_ stage isn't enough testament to how much he's looking forward to the future (read: tomorrow evening), then he doesn't know what is.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm late but **happiest birthday to lee minhyuk!**
> 
> this fic became so soapy... i feel like unconsciously i was trying to write an 18 again au LMAO. this is so terribly self indulgent i honestly feel bad! i'm also still not sure about the characterization, but i really hope it makes sense with the plot ><
> 
> once again, there was an attempt to edit this but i'm sure there's a lot that i missed, so apologies in advance!

There's a rush of excitement when Minhyuk lets out a sigh once he enters the door to his house. The high from suddenly meeting his friend-- ex-- ex-friend-- whatever Eunkwang is to him now still hasn't died down even after driving around aimlessly for almost an hour before heading home. It feels unreal, like any moment now he'd wake up and realize he's been dreaming all along. But he checks his phone and he really has Seo Eunkwang's number, along with a text from him saying he's looking forward to having coffee tomorrow evening. And the more it settles in, the more Minhyuk is compelled to believe that it's real, that he's really seen Eunkwang again after so long and that he's okay and that  _ they're okay,  _ that Eunkwang has barely changed despite how much time has passed since they'd last seen each other. 

It shouldn't even make sense that Eunkwang would still want to talk to him at all. Then again, Eunkang has always been kind - too kind for his own good, Minhyuk would even argue - and it shouldn't really come as a surprise anymore that Eunkwang would still treat him with kindness. 

Still, it doesn't mean that Minhyuk has stopped feeling guilty for disappearing on Eunkwang.

"Ah-- Ow!" Minhyuk realizes he's still standing by the door when it suddenly opens and the knob digs into his back. “Yah, Choi Soobin!”

"Uncle?” his nephew’s voice calls from behind him. “What are you doing behind the door?"

"I was taking off my shoes,” Minhyuk explains. “I just got home.”

"But your car pulled up, like, half an hour ago."

"Have you been waiting for me outside?"

"No."

"What were you doing outside, then? It's a bit cold."

"I was just walking around,” Soobin mumbles,” thinking.”

"Ah,” Minhyuk says, reaching up to ruffle his nephew’s hair. “Our Soobinie’s really growing up now. How much taller are you than me now, huh?"

“10 centimeters,” answers Soobin, picking the groceries up from where Minhyuk dropped them on the floor. “Hey, Uncle, I was waving at you earlier but I don't think you saw me."

Minhyuk lets out another sigh. "Right,” he says, “sorry about that, uncle was a bit preoccupied. Anyway, have you eaten?"

“Not yet.”

"Great, 'cause I bought your favorite."

"Tteokboki?" Soobin turns to him with a wide smile, making him look like the child Minhyuk helped raise despite how big and tall he’s gotten now, and it almost erases all the guilt Minhyuk has ever felt for leaving Eunkwang hanging.

"What else?"

“Uncle, you’re the best! It’s times like these, and words like these, that make Minhyuk sure that Soobin was worth all the pain and hurt he’d had to go through, and that no matter how much regret he has about him and Eunkwang, he’d still make the same choice if he had to.

“Yes, I am,” he tells Soobin with a fond smile. “Now, go set the table.”

There really isn't much that Minhyuk regrets in his life. Sure, he thinks some things could've gone better, but that doesn't mean he wishes things had gone differently either. He doesn't even regret not pursuing sports and instead getting into sales, because after all it helped him and his sister get by. It's not like he didn't have the chance to pursue it, either; when Soobin was old enough to go to school and his mom had a pretty stable job, Minhyuk could've tried, but the mere thought of it reminded him too much of a past he can never live again, of a life he and Eunkwang could've had. Come to think of it, more than his hopes and dreams and past aspirations, most if not all of his regrets have to do with Seo Eunkwang. He hopes that tomorrow when they finally get to talk, they can also finally live the rest of their lives free from any regrets.

"Uncle," Soobin says quietly while they’re eating in silence, distracting Minhyuk from his thoughts. Minhyuk is met with a serious expression and downcast eyes when he turns to look at him, and he says, "I'm sorry I ruined your life."

And Minhyuk almost chokes out his insides. "Excuse me?" he says in between coughing. "What?" 

"Mom sat me down before she left last week and told me you had plans to leave for uni or something before you found out she was pregnant with me," his nephew explains. "I'm sorry I ruined your plans."

"Are you hearing yourself?" Minhyuk replies, incredulous. "That's like saying sorry you were born."

Soobin shrugs. "I mean, kind of, right?" he says with a chuckle.

"You punk," Minhyuk says, without any real bite to his words. "Do you think I wasn't capable of making my own decisions back then?" 

"I wasn't saying that--"

"You kind of were."

"Sorry."

"What's gotten into you, huh?"

"It's just--" Soobin sighs heavily. "Earlier we had some kind of career orientation. I realized there's nothing I want to do yet but you-- uncle, you had something you wanted to do but couldn't do it because of me, right?" 

This brings Minhyuk to a pause, wondering if Soobin would feel bad if he would be honest or if he should even be talking to Soobin about this with his mother not around. Then again, Soobin’s no child anymore; he’s old enough to understand the circumstances they were in, that people have to do what they have to do. Soobin is mature enough to handle truth, so that’s what Minhyuk offers him. 

With a sigh, he tells Soobin, “I wanted to take care of my family more than I wanted anything else.”

"Don't you regret it?"

Minhyuk doesn’t even need to think. "I don't," he replies, his tone firm and reassuring. If he has regrets, none of those have anything to do with his family, especially not with Soobin. "Besides, even if I live with regrets,” he adds, “ that's only so you won't."

Soobin is quiet for a while. But just as Minhyuk thinks it’s time to talk about something else, the former says, “I wish there’s something I really wanna do, too.”

“Hm?” Minhyuk replies.

“So I won’t live with regrets,” Soobin explains. “I don’t wanna go into college without any idea what I want and then end up regretting my decisions.”

“Eh? You’re too young to think that way.”

“I just feel like I should know by now.”

"Yah, Choi Soobin." Minhyuk reaches across the table to ruffle his nephew's hair. "And there's nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do in the future. You still have an entire life ahead of you. There'd be plenty of time to think about it."

"That's exactly what my teacher told me earlier," Soobin mumbles, flattening down his now unruly hair.

"Really?" Minhyuk asks, curious. "That's something someone once told me long ago."

"Yeah-- oh, right! Uncle, can you meet my teacher tomorrow for that?"

"Career orientation? Aren't I too old for that now?"

"Uncle--” Soobin starts, but Minhyuk cuts him off with a laugh.

"Of course, I can,” he says. “Anything for our Soobinie.”

And he means it with all his heart-- as he’s always had, even when it meant breaking someone else’s, and his own too. 

  
  
  
  
  


Destiny has a really funny way of connecting people, and mending their broken hearts. Sometimes it feels so strange, to the point that doesn’t seem real, unbelievable to a point that Minhyuk has to question himself -  _ again  _ \- whether he’s dreaming or not, whether Eunkwang’s really there sitting behind the desk the moment Minhyuk entered Soobin’s teacher’s office. 

“What?” is the first thing that Minhyuk can think of saying- or asking.

“Minhyuk-ah?” Eunkwang replies, mirroring the former’s bewildered expression. “What are you doing here? I thought you were picking me up at 6?”

“I’m not here to pick you up-- well, I mean, I guess I am, but I’m also not.”

“Eh?” Eunkwang looks at him with furrowed brows.

“I’m here for Choi Soobin’s career orientation,” Minhyuk explains. 

“Oh-- right!" the other stands up and ushers Minhyuk to sit. "So you really are related after all."

"Wait-- so you're Soobinie's teacher?" 

“Yes, I am, Lee Minhyuk-ssi.”

“That makes sense,” Minhyuk says with a chuckle. “He said last night his teacher told him it’s okay to not have his future planned out yet.”

"Ah." A soft smile grace Eunkwang’s face, and Minhyuk feels a pang in his chest. "Yes, I told him that. He's a bit like you, isn't he?"

“Well, we must at least share a few genes, right?”

Eunkwang laughs out loud. “I understand why you chose him over me,” he says. 

Minhyuk’s chest only seems to tighten even more, twisting and turning and hurting him more, rendering him speechless. He wonders what Eunkwang thought whenever he saw Soobin, not knowing he was the reason Minhyuk disappeared all along. If Eunkwang had known, would he have treated Soobin with contempt? But that can’t be possible, Minhyuk thinks; Eunkwang is Eunkwang-- kind, warmhearted, understanding Eunkwang, who treats everyone with nothing less than goodness, even the people who hurt him, like Minhyuk. It wouldn’t make sense for him to be bitter towards someone who isn’t even at fault. 

Even now, when Eunkwang asks, “Where are his parents?” there’s no trace of contempt or bitterness, only genuine curiosity and care, and it somehow eases the pain in Minhyuk’s chest. 

Sometimes Minhyuk forgets just how good Eunkwang was to him back when they were together, always there to support and love. Sometimes Minhyuk deliberately tries not to remember anything from when they were together, whether as friends or something more, because it reinforces the guilt of having left without any notice. He wonders how Eunkwang must have felt, waiting for him at the bus station where he'd promised they'd meet to leave for the city, to fulfill their dreams and make new ones in the process, to take on the world together. Eunkwang must have felt shattered, confused, angry even; a lot of times Minhyuk wanted to call, to explain to him why he never showed up at the bus station, why he boarded a different bus that took him back to his grandparents' hometown where his pregnant sister was waiting for him, but he never had the courage to. Minhyuk knows Eunkwang deserves an explanation, but oftentimes he thinks he doesn't deserve to be listened to after what he did.

But Eunkwang is here now, literally an arm's length away, and he still cares, and he is willing to listen, and Minhyuk thanks all the stars in the sky and all the gods he can possibly think of for giving him this chance - that he very much doesn't deserve - in order to set things straight and ask for forgiveness that he's too late to ask for anyway since Eunkwang, ever so gracious, has already forgiven him without even having to ask. 

And so Minhyuk explains. He explains everything, from receiving a phone call from his sister the night before he and Eunkwang were set to leave, telling him she just found out she was pregnant and didn't know what to do or who else to call because their parents were both really angry at the time and their grandparents were too old to help her, to how he only had a few hours to decide what to do and ultimately chose to help his sister, to they never heard anything from Soobin's father after Minhyuk had gone to his house to confront him only to find out that he'd moved away, and to how Minhyuk had to act as both an older brother to his sister and a father to his sister's child when he was supposed to be living his life and enjoying his youth with Eunkwang in Seoul. But Minhyuk also explains that he doesn't regret his decision, and that he doesn't want to feel guilty about not regretting it because even though he loves Eunkwang, he also loves his family - and it's never an easy decision to choose between two different kinds of love, it's never fair, never was and never will be. He also explains how sorry he is, and how much he missed Eunkwang and wishes they'd been able to spend their youth together, able to give their lives to each other like they'd planned to.

And Eunkwang holds his hand the entire time he pours his heart out. Minhyuk is thankful for the warmth, the support, and the love that seem to have never changed. It's something Minhyuk believes he doesn't deserve - Seo Eunkwang is someone he believes he never deserved and never truly will - but is still there for him no matter what. It's crazy to think that even after all this time, even after the pain, Eunkwang is still willing to be there for Minhyuk. 

It's really just unbelievable to Minhyuk that someone like Eunkwang exists, and that he was allowed to meet him not only once but twice in this lifetime. And Minhyuk thinks he must have done something better than good, something truly noble, for the universe to give him something this grand, an opportunity like nothing else, a favor that's impossible to pay back.

So much has happened and so much has changed, yet Seo Eunkwang remains the same, and Minhyuk can't even begin to explain just how thankful he is for Eunkwang's existence, and for his continuous warmth and kindness and  _ love.  _

"You must have gone through a lot," Eunkwang tells him, and the pain in Minhyuk's chest blooms into something more pleasant, something more comfortable and sunny like Eunkwang's voice and Eunkwang himself.

Minhyuk doesn't even need to realize because deep down he's always known-- he loves Eunkwang, has loved him since high school and has never stopped loving him and will never stop loving him in this lifetime. And it suddenly feels overwhelming, like merely saying the words would never cut it no matter how many times he repeats them.

"Let's be together again," Minhyuk says. "Let's spend the rest of our lives together." 

Eunkwang smiles at him, squeezing his hands with his own. "Minhyuk-ah…" 

"Let's do all the things we wanted to do when we were young," Minhyuk continues. He knows he's not in any position to ask for anything, but if Eunkwang is willing to give him anything at all, then he's willing to take all that he can get. "We've still got time."

"We do," Eunkwang agrees. 

By no means can they go back in time and correct past mistakes, but there's always the present that they can make the most out of, and the future where nothing is certain but the love they have for one another. If Eunkwang wants to take the chance, if he'd let Minhyuk try to make up for all the time that was wasted, then who's to say they can't live the life they've always imagined?

"Just say yes," Minhyuk says, almost pleads, looking Eunkwang in the eye, glossy with what can only be unshed tears of joy. 

"Okay," Eunkwang tells him. "Yes."

Minhyuk thinks it should be impossible that a single word can make him feel so much. There’s an overwhelming sense of relief, happiness, apprehension, and anticipation all at once. He feels like bursting, but Eunkwang laces their fingers together, offering him the sweetest smile, and it’s enough to make him feel grounded.

“I love you, you know?” Eunkwang says. “I still do.”

“Me, too,” Minhyuk replies. “I don’t think it’s ever gonna change, really.”

“That’s good, then.”

“Yeah, it is,” he agrees. He feels a little lightheaded and giddy, his heart pumping in his chest where it was aching just a few moments ago. There’s no telling how much longer or shorter the future will be as compared to the past that’s come and gone, but the mere fact that they’ll be spending it together this time, that he doesn’t have to wake up feeling guilty of the past but looking forward to the future, brings Minhyuk so much comfort. 

And there's truly nothing else that Minhyuk could have ever wanted in life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading! this is the longest fic i wrote this year omg if you reached until the end, very very big thanks, really!! <3

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! in honor of eunkwang's positivity and minhyuk's vanity, i'm turning on comments for this fic. ^^ also this is my first time writing minkwang and eunkwang pov and [sighs] honestly it feels ooc even to me but i hope the characterization at least made sense with the plot.. i'm also not very familiar with soobin, so if by any chance a txt stan is reading this i offer my apologies as well. >< that said, ~~positive~~ feedback for this is very much appreciated!
> 
> [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.qa/crashingfalling)


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